The Courageous Life

• On the Power of Wonder | Monica Parker

  In her beautiful book, The Power of Wonder, Monica Parker, writes:“Wonder purls its way through our lives from first cry to last gasp - Moments that engage us, surprise us, take our breath away,And give us the gift of viewing the world, and our place in it,In an entirely different way.But something happens as we move from the wonder-filled days of childhood to obligation laden days of adulthood. We become increasingly jaded. Like the sun that continues to shine on a cloudy day, wonder is still there,But we just can’t seem to see it anymore. And then one day we stop looking.” A world renowned speaker, author, and leading authority on the future of work, Monica has spent decades helping people discover how to lead and live wonderfully. Much of her work, which lies at the intersection of research and practice, Explores how, and why, wonder holds the potential to transform: the way we learn, develop new ideas, drive social change, and ultimately become better humans.Today’s conversation is a beautiful beginning. A doorway into a mini series on the power of mystery and wonder.Themes that will make up the second part in a trilogy, which began with conversations focused on impermanence, and that will end with an exploration of love. Monica is here to kick things off. Inviting us to step into possibility. The possibility of looking again - Opening our eyes like we did as children and reconnecting with a reverence for the world, and all the magic in it. For More on Monica, her book: The Power of Wonder, her speaking, and her fascinating career which has included roles as diverse as being an opera singer, founder of a global human analytics and change consultancy, and a homicide investigator defending death row inmates please visit Monica-Parker.comEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!You can find part one of the trilogy below. These 3 conversations dive deep into the topic of impermanence and how we can relate to the changing nature of our lives in ways that lead to living well. Impermanence, Letting Go, and Finding Freedom | Sharon Salzberg & Sunita PuriOn Work, Friendship, and Embracing Impermanence | Parker J. Palmer & Jerry ColonnaOn Love, Death, and Embracing Our Humanity | Roshi Joan Halifax & Frank OstaseskiThanks for listening!Support the show

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• On Becoming the Best Version of Yourself | Marc Brackett

  Success in virtually every aspect of life―career, friendship, love, and family―is determined mainly by one thing: how we deal with emotions. In your most challenging moments, how did you respond? Did you fly off the handle? Were you paralyzed by indecision? Did you engage in behaviors that undermined your best intentions? Or did you exhibit grace under pressure and flourish? How you responded likely shaped what happened next. The good news? We all have the power to decide how we will respond to what life throws at us. Marc Brackett, Founding Director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and author of the new book Dealing With Feeling: Use Your Emotions to Create the Life You Want is back on the show today.Together we’ll explore how can begin to harness this power.The first step being the practice of acceptance.A message that in many ways is at the heart of Marc’s work.It's a move that recognizes there are no bad emotions―only emotions we don’t understand or know how to direct in positive, intentional ways.And secondly,That we must go beyond acceptance. Dealing with our feelings involves a set of skills and strategies that must belearned, practiced, and refined over a lifetime.When we do,We open the door to becoming the best version of ourselves and lifting others up around us.For more on Marc, his books, research, live events, and other work please visit marcbrackett.comDid you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:To Feel is to Be Human | Marc BrackettOn the Science, and Magic, of Great Conversations | Alison Wood BrooksEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Thanks for listening!Support the show

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• On What it Takes to Be Great | Sean Brosnan

  When Sean Brosnan arrived at Newbury Park High School in 2016, their cross country team hadn’t so much as qualified for a California state championship in twenty-five years. Brosnan himself had never coached high schoolers, though he was no stranger to the sport. A collegiate All-American, he had spent years trying to chase his ambitions of becoming a professional runner, along the way learning from some of the most successful coaches in the country.From day one at Newbury Park, Sean made a promise: "Give me your total commitment and I’ll give you a state championship in four years."Brosnan’s runners ended up:Taking an unprecedented three consecutive national championships,smashing records,winning Division I scholarships, and ultimately representing their country in the Olympics.Today Sean is on the show to share more of his incredible story,And some of the key insights he’s gained about unlocking human potential,None of which may be more important than his steadfast belief that:The only limits that matter are the ones you set for yourself.For more on Sean you can follow him on IG and X @realseanbrosnanand for the full story of his high school cross country team that went from obscurity to becoming the fastest squad the country, and perhaps the world, has ever seen check out his inspiring new book: Beyond Fast: How a Renegade Coach and His Unlikely High School Team Revolutionized Distance Running.Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:On Finding Peace and Confidence Under Pressure | Jim MurphyLimitless Mind: Learn, Live, & Lead Without Barriers | Jo BoalerEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts! Thanks for listening!Support the show

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• On Listening and Attending to the Soul | James Hollis

  How do you define “growing up”? Does it mean achieving certain cultural benchmarks—a steady income, paying taxes, marriage, and children? Or does it mean leaving behind the expectations of others and growing into the person you were meant to be? When we find ourselves in a career, place, relationship, or crisis we never foresaw, or that seems at odds with our beliefs about who we are, it often means our soul is calling on us to reexamine our path.Today, with Jungian Psychoanalyst, therapist, and bestselling author James HollisWe’ll explore the practice of listening to that call.The call that invites us to step into a more purposeful life. As we navigate what James calls the collision between our “False Self,” created from the expectations of others, and our instinctive “True Self.”During our conversation James draw upon his life’s work, his 20+ books, and his experiences with hundreds of clients, as he offers up: A map for traversing the frontier we call our inner life, The steps (as he sees them) that we must take on our road to true maturity, meaning, and fulfillment,And how we ultimately can find the courage to step into the depth, dignity, and dangers of this journey.For more on James Hollis, his books, and other work please visit jameshollis.netEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:On Honoring the Soul (pt. 1) | Parker J. PalmerOn Choosing Love | Mark NepoThanks for listening!Support the show

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• On Unlocking Our Primal Intelligence | Angus Fletcher

  How are some people so much smarter than the rest of us? Where do visionary creatives and savvy decision-makers like Vincent Van Gogh, Marie Curie, Albert Einstein, Maya Angelou, Warren Buffet, and William Shakespeare,get their extraordinary mental abilities?In 2021, researchers at Ohio State’s Project Narrative, the world’s leading academic think-tank for the study of how stories work, and a place renowned for collaborations with NASA, Hollywood, and Silicon Valley, announced they had the answer. They named it Primal Intelligence. And they published scientific proof that Primal Intelligence was impossible for computers—but could be strengthened in humans.Intrigued, U.S. Army Special Operations developed Primal training for its most classified units. The training succeeded. The Operators saw the future faster. They healed quicker from trauma. In life-and-death situations, they chose wiser.From there the Army authorized training for civilian entrepreneurs, doctors, engineers, managers, coaches, teachers, investors, and NFL players. Their leadership and innovation improved significantly. They coped better with change and uncertainty. They experienced less anger and anxiety. And when they offered the training to college and K-12 classrooms it produced substantial effects in students as young as eight.In today’s conversation with Angus Fletcher who serves as Professor of story science at Project Narrative,holds dual degrees in neuroscience and literature, a PhD in Shakespeare, and is author of the powerful new book: Primal Intelligence: You Are Smarter than You know.We’ll take a deep dive into the groundbreaking research and training they’ve been developing at Project Narrative over the past 4 years. And Angus will share his often surprising and unexpected journey into this work. Including some of the most potent insights and practices he gained from collaborating with U.S. Special Operations along the way.To learn more about Primal Intelligence, including the inspiring new book, Angus’s work, and Primal trainings please visit operationhuman.comEnjoying the show? Please rate it wherever you listen to your podcasts!Did you find this episode inspiring? Here are other conversations we think you'll love:On How the Arts Transform Us | Susan Magsamen & Ivy RossUnwinding Anxiety | Dr. Jud BrewerThanks for listening!Support the show

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